Enjoyed them very much. I had no idea that you were “in” to Mummintrollen. I must be one of the few Scandinavians who hasn’t a real relation to these strange figures. I laughed a lot reading “I put people’s love of the Moomins down to unexportable cultural taste, like Marmite or root beer”. I think I’ve had a similar idea.
I haven't read the story so I probably shouldn't comment - but - your evocative review made me wonder if Jansson's story is a comment on what "real art" is, and who gets to decide? I knew someone once who made tons of homespun art, and when I went over to her house and saw it, her dedication impressed me so much that I realized I was at fault for not taking her seriously.
Thank you! And yes, absolutely. It's really interesting to consider what we think of as "real art" and why, and rather wonderful to see an artist/writer addressing it so directly. I love your account of facing it head-on with your friend's work.
Huh, that's so interesting. I'm not sure that it's precisely the case in this story, which is autobiographical — Tove Jansson's mother was also a public artist. (There is a different story in which her mother takes her along for a much-longed-for few days in an empty house just to paint, which the narrator spoils. Of course it's written ruefully by the adult version of the narrator, who has gone on to be a writer and painter herself.). The scene in the tant story that echoes your recent piece on perfectionism (I'll add a link to that below!) shows the child watching to see if the father will throw away the tant's work after the tant leaves. But I think that the child narrator herself already has a sense of what “real art” is to her, and she's looking to her father to help her navigate it. It's really a fascinating story.
Great stories,
Enjoyed them very much. I had no idea that you were “in” to Mummintrollen. I must be one of the few Scandinavians who hasn’t a real relation to these strange figures. I laughed a lot reading “I put people’s love of the Moomins down to unexportable cultural taste, like Marmite or root beer”. I think I’ve had a similar idea.
Congratulations to the very nice texts!
Toni
A belated thank you so much, Toni!
I haven't read the story so I probably shouldn't comment - but - your evocative review made me wonder if Jansson's story is a comment on what "real art" is, and who gets to decide? I knew someone once who made tons of homespun art, and when I went over to her house and saw it, her dedication impressed me so much that I realized I was at fault for not taking her seriously.
Thank you! And yes, absolutely. It's really interesting to consider what we think of as "real art" and why, and rather wonderful to see an artist/writer addressing it so directly. I love your account of facing it head-on with your friend's work.
There’s an issue of art and masculinity that is always at play, too, I think. That makes for defensiveness with “real artists” of a certain era
Huh, that's so interesting. I'm not sure that it's precisely the case in this story, which is autobiographical — Tove Jansson's mother was also a public artist. (There is a different story in which her mother takes her along for a much-longed-for few days in an empty house just to paint, which the narrator spoils. Of course it's written ruefully by the adult version of the narrator, who has gone on to be a writer and painter herself.). The scene in the tant story that echoes your recent piece on perfectionism (I'll add a link to that below!) shows the child watching to see if the father will throw away the tant's work after the tant leaves. But I think that the child narrator herself already has a sense of what “real art” is to her, and she's looking to her father to help her navigate it. It's really a fascinating story.
https://open.substack.com/pub/twohouses/p/on-perfectionism?r=2u2cxe&utm_medium=ios